Most Rewatchable Scene
Raul's restaurant dinner with Ms. Johnson
In the discussion (13)
Approx. transcript time · 00:37:46Read transcript
- The opening credits, which play the whole song in black and white, belong in the mix.
- LouAnne's stereotypical first day nearly breaks her; she returns the next day in a leather jacket with her feet on the desk.
- Emilio squashing the poetry reading ("since when did the board of education done anything for us") shows his force in the class, and Callie advises that to get the class you have to get Emilio.
- Emilio sticking up for Ms. Johnson ("Read it again") is praised, including how she avoids visibly reacting when he finally participates.
- A half scene: her visit to Raul's parents and the look on Raul's face.
- Emilio at LouAnne's house, with the 'how are you going to save me from my life' payoff, is called the Oscar clip for Pfeiffer.
- Learning of Emilio's death and telling the class is defended as emotional and her best scene, with strong acting in the principal's office.
- Her telling the class she is not coming back is paired with the death scene as Pfeiffer's best two, likened to needing a Tom Brady-level quarterback.
- The dinner scene with Raul is picked as most rewatchable: he borrowed money for the coat, risked his life, and knows she will come to his house if he misses school. — Shea Serrano
- Second choice is Emilio standing up for Ms. Johnson, linked to a classroom story in which a student leader named Elias made a new student put his chair back, described as his Tim Duncan. — Shea Serrano
- The restaurant scene is also picked because Raul grows up during it, going from not talking to the waiter to telling him "we're talking"; bringing who he is to where he is going is framed as a life lesson.
- The restaurant scene is called everybody's favorite, including a daughter's.
- Another pick is the ending, with the kids fighting for her to stay; the shot of the older teacher walking away chain smoking could be cut.